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Last Days Prophecy

HIS SERVANTS' MINISTRY

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Gospel Briefs on Judges and Ruth

JUDGES
Date written – 1150 B.C. Author – Samuel
In Judges 2:8-9 we read about the death of Joshua, who was Moses’ successor in leading the people into the Promised Land. Then we read: Judges 2:10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. (KJV)

The Book of Judges covers a period when there was no King in Israel (17:6).
Rebellion was commonplace as was murder, rape, and idolatry (2:12).
The people had become backslidden shortly after the death of Joshua, and this led to unrest and disillusionment.
This in turn led to the appointing of Judges to guide them through particularly turbulent...

The Israelites are dwelling in the Promised Land (2:1), but prove their utter unfaithfulness to the LORD (2:2), by falling into an evil cycle of idolatry (2:11), oppression (2:15), repentance (3:9,15), deliverance (3:9) and peace (3:11).
Explanation of Main Idea
The Israelites were commanded to drive out the Canaanites. Every tribe of GOD’S people failed to take full and complete possession of their allotment of land (1:17-36). Therefore, they end up being influenced by the Canaanites, worshipping their gods and eventually behaving like them, even to the extent of sacrificing their own children (11:29-40). They worshipped their gods (2:13), intermarried with them (3:6), forgot the LORD (3:7), abandoned Him and did NOT worship Him (10:6). Their wickedness angered the LORD, and He “brought disaster on them, just as He had promised and sworn to them.” This disaster came in the form of the people of the land raiding them (2:14), controlling them (3:8), and empowering them (4:2). In their despair, the children of Israel cried out to the LORD (6:7). GOD would then raise up a judge to deliver them (6:11-12) . . . but even these judges were ungodly men. They were often violent 9:5) and immoral (16:1) . . . but still, GOD used them to bring about great events of deliverance for the people whom He loved, restoring peace in the land (3:11), often for many years (3:30). But, sooner or later, the Israelites would fall back into sin and the cycle would start all over again. This ridiculous cycle repeats six times throughout the Book, with worse penalties each time. To conclude, civil war breaks out after horrific sexual abuse, (Ch.19-20), the tribe of Benjamin is almost exterminated (20:46-21:3). The book ends with a foreshadowing of the need for a king to come and rule.

Purpose of the Book of Judges was to induce shock and disgust at the horrendous sinfulness of which humans are capable when they abandon GOD. No other Book in the Bible contains such graphic violence and accounts of horrific sexual abuse (19:25-30). When people do whatever they want without any standard for right or wrong, evil results and brings down the furious wrath of God. But . . . the Book also reveals the consistent love and faithfulness of GOD to respond mercifully to the cry from those who are oppressed. He answers this cry by raising up a man, anointing him with His Spirit, and performing great acts of deliverance through his efforts. The Book of Judges bridges the gap between the arrival in the Promised Land and the time of the kings of Israel. It shows how the people arrived at the place where they felt they needed a king to rule over them (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).

How Does This Relate to Us?
It warns us against forsaking the LORD, against trying to live life without Him. Judges teaches us that we cannot live our life alone; we need GOD’S supernatural power because we are prone to sin. The Book of Judges is like a big, bright, yellow warning sign with rapidly flashing red lights warning us to stay away from anything that might cause us to sin. We cannot have a casual attitude toward sin. If we allow sin free reign in our lives, we are setting ourselves up for pain and heartache. If we abandon GOD, we will find misery and oppression. There should be NO place for compromise in our lives.
Judges helps us understand why the world is so corrupt. The Book of Judges helps us to provide a framework to process the evil present in the human heart.
Most importantly, in Judges, we are encouraged that GOD will respond to a cry for help. We are relieved that no matter how evil the world becomes and how far we fall, we can always come back to Him. If we forget Him, He will not forget us. He is faithful.

Prophesy: The announcement to Samson’s mother that she would bear a son to lead Israel is a prophesy of the announcement to Mary of the Birth of the Messiah. GOD sent His Angel to both women and told them they would “conceive and bear a son” (Judges 13:7; Luke 1:31) who would lead GOD’S people. GOD’S compassionate delivery of His people, in spite of their sin and rejection of Him presents a picture of Christ on the cross. Jesus died to deliver His people from their sin . . . all who would believe in Him. Although most of those who followed Him during His ministry would eventually fall away and reject Him, He still remained faithful to His Promise and went to the cross to die for us.

Disobedience always brings judgment. The Israelites present a perfect example of what we are not to do. Instead of learning from experience that God will always punish rebellion against Him, they continued to disobey and suffer GOD’S displeasure and discipline. If we continue in disobedience, we invite GOD’S discipline, not because He enjoys our suffering, but “because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son" (Hebrews 12:6).

The Book of Judges is a witness to GOD’S faithfulness. Even “if we are faithless, He will remain faithful” (2 Tim.2:13). Though we may be unfaithful to Him, as the Israelites were, still He is faithful to save us and preserve us (1 Thes.5:24) and to forgive us when we seek forgiveness (1 John 1:9). “He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Cor.1:8-9).

RUTH
Date of Writing: The exact date the Book of Ruth was written is uncertain. However, the widespread view is a date between 1011 and 931 B.C.
The Book of Ruth was written to the Israelites. It teaches that genuine love at times may need inflexible sacrifice. No matter our part in life, we can live according to the teachings of GOD. Sincere love and kindness will be rewarded. GOD abundantly blesses those who seek to live obedient lives. Obedient living does not allow accidents in GOD’S Plan. God extends mercy to the merciful.

The book of Ruth was written to provide a beautiful example of the sovereignty and plan of GOD. GOD is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11). In this beautiful account, He demonstrates how He will use a person (Ruth) who for all practical purposes, is a foreigner and enemy of the Israelites. However, because of her loyalty and desire for GOD, she plays a pivotal role in the storyline of the Bible, who becomes the great-grandmother of King David.

Leading Themes
(1). Loyalty. In contrast to her sister-in-law Orpah, Ruth will not leave the side of Naomi. Ruth 1:16-17 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. (KJV)
Ruth’s words forcefully summarize her loyalty. She could not have not been more committed! Equally, Boaz repays her loyalty with his own. He becomes loyal to her not just as a family-redeemer, but as a husband. In conclusion, the Book of Ruth magnifies GOD’S loyalty, as He takes care of Naomi, brings Ruth and Boaz together, and gives them a special place in His plan.

(2). The Messiah. Jesus is of the lineage of Judah, descended from King David (Mat.1:1-2). Even though the majority of the Book of Ruth says nothing about David, there is a strong emphasis at the end: Ruth 4:17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David. (KJV)
The child had the genealogy from Perez to David: Ruth 4:18-22 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 20 And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 21 And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David. (KJV)
This Passage concludes the Book, and shows the author’s intent to point toward the Promised Messiah through the line of David.

(3). Honoring GOD. Boaz’s first recorded words in Scripture are “The Lord be with you.” He was a godly man who had great concern about obeying the LORD. He is set forth as an example of someone who follows the Torah. Because he honored GOD, he blessed his employees:
Ruth 2:4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee. (KJV) He took care of the poor:
Ruth 2:8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens: (KJV)
He also dealt in his business matters ethically and wisely: Ruth 3:12-13 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I. 13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning. (KJV)
GOD repaid Boaz by giving him a wife and a son (Ruth 4:13), and allowing him to be in the lineage of Jesus (Ruth 4:21).

(4). God is at work behind the scenes.
The story begins with several trials, among them famine, death, and poverty (Ruth 1:1-5). As the story develops, it becomes apparent that GOD is at work to bring two people together to bless them and to carry on His plan (Ruth 4). We see human decisions that bring about the will of GOD in a very natural way.

How Can We Apply This to Us? The Book of Ruth has many lessons for us. First, it encourages us that GOD is at work in our lives even though we cannot see the end result. Naomi probably had no idea that she would ever return to Bethlehem and become a grandmother. Ruth did not go into the fields looking for a husband. She was trying to take care of her mother-in-law. After they married, Boaz and Ruth probably had no idea that they were in the lineage of the coming Messiah. We need to trust GOD with the details of our life, pursue to be loyal to Him, and honor Him with all we do. The sovereignty of our great GOD is clearly seen in the story of Ruth. He guided her every step of the way to become His child and fulfill His plan for her to become an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Mat.1:5). In the same way, we have assurance that GOD has a plan for each of us. Just as Naomi and Ruth trusted the LORD God to provide for them, so should we. We would have to look long and hard today, to find a woman as worthy of being our role model as Ruth. Ruth is one of the few women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus (Mat.1:5). Ruth also teaches us a lot about redemption and care of the needy.

Is the Gospel in the Old Testament?

YES! It certainly is!

The GOSPEL is in the Old Testament

The Bible Helps us Better Understand GOD

Gospel Briefs in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers

Gospel Briefs in Deuteronomy and Joshua

Gospel Briefs in Judges and Ruth

Gospel Briefs in 1&2 Samuel and 1&2 Kings

Gospel Briefs in 1&2 Chronicles and Ezra

Gospel Briefs in Nehemiah and Esther

Gospel Briefs in Job and Psalms

Gospel Briefs in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song